Léonella in black tank and dark wash jeans strolling around the city.
Where did the idea come from?
The website idea came after college, during a time when I was being more present in my life, but also hoarding my tripod photos. I had so many moments just sitting in my phone, and I started wondering: what would it look like to give all of this a home?
During my fellowship in Computational Biology, I got hands-on coding experience in Python, R, and other programming languages. Once I felt comfortable, I got curious about how websites were built. I learned that most use HTML/CSS and JavaScript, so I taught myself using online resources and the library.
Bit by bit, I started building the site from scratch. Once I got past the “this is so overwhelming” phase it actually became fun. The design came together naturally. I landed on the black background and magenta text just by experimenting. That color scheme later inspired my art logo, too.
I didn’t know exactly how I wanted the website to look, so I did what I always do when I’m unsure: research. I explored websites by creatives, from recording artists to muralists, and took notes on what design elements they used to make their sites feel personal. Google and YouTube were my best friends during this time (Shoutout to YouTube. P.O.P hold it down!)
I’ve always been inspired by artists who use their websites as a sort of digital destination, a curated space that reflects who they are and what they’ve made. I kept coming back to Beyoncé’s site, just admiring how it curated moments with intention. That inspired my homepage's endless scroll feature, a flowing timeline of my favorite memories, both unseen and previously shared.
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Léonella website brainstorm phase poster.
Why a “rebirth” theme?
I originally planned to launch this website last year for my 27th birthday, but something didn’t feel right. I wasn’t ready, and neither was the site. Looking back, I’m glad I waited. The version of the site I would’ve launched then doesn’t even come close to what it’s become now. It’s grown and so have I.
The idea of a “rebirth” felt fitting for a lot of reasons. One small, meaningful sign: this year, my birthday falls on a Monday, which happens to be the same day of the week I was born in 1997. That’s happened three other times in my 28 years. It doesn't happen all the time, and noticing it made me pause. When I realized that, something clicked. It felt symbolic, like a reset. A chance to reintroduce myself to my peers, my loved ones, and anyone new discovering me now.
Over the past few years, I’ve gone through quiet, internal changes. I had to confront parts of myself I had outgrown, the patterns, the habits, and ways of being that no longer aligned. I haven't discarded them entirely, because they’re still part of me, but now I carry their lessons with intention, not with shame. I've also started appreciating other sides of myself, the side of me that lightens the mood with a joke, the one that observes before speaking, and the one that tends to love hard, sometimes to my own detriment.
The launch of this website reflects that shift. It’s me stepping into a version of myself that was ways present, even if I didn’t always see it amid the noise and pressure to fit in. All while honoring everything that came before. The joy, the grief, the stillness, the growth. The yin and yang of it all. “Rebirth” isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about coming home to yourself and this moment is me doing just that.
What made you decide to finally launch a website?
Léonella in custom 26th birthday tee before birthday festivities.
Why did you wait so long to share your work?
Ya girl is a perfectionist, lowkey. I’m kidding (but not really). I waited because I wanted what I released to feel real. Authentic to who I am now. I didn’t want to rush it. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves, when something feels rushed. You ever see something and think, “You could’ve just kept that to yourself?" Yeah, I didn’t want that to be me. More than anything, I wanted this to feel like an experience, not just a project.
I’m naturally pretty reserved. Not shy, though. I used to think I was, but recently realized that’s not really true. I’ve always had a lot to say, I just take my time before I say it. Living in the city helped me unlearn that. I started sparking up conversations with strangers, sharing stories, listening to theirs. It made me realize: I’m not shy. I’m intentional. That same intention also shaped how I built this site. I didn’t want to just tell people who I am, I wanted to show them. People connect with visuals and I do too, so I focused on curating a full visual experience. It took time.
I went deep into my archives ( middle school deep), and I’m so glad younger me had the sense to take photos of my work. Some of those original pieces are long gone since I moved quite often, but the photos made it possible to include them here.
Honestly, the biggest delay was internal. I had to believe I could actually pull this off. I had to be in the right headspace to be this vulnerable. I had to believe the idea was good AND that I could carry it all the way to the finish line. So why now? Because everything finally lined up emotionally, mentally, and creatively, and I’m really proud I waited.
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How did it feel revisiting old photos, dances, and art?
I felt proud. Looking back through my archives felt like flipping through the chapters of my life, a reminder of how deeply creativity has always lived in me. Of course, there were plenty of moments where I laughed or cringed (or both). Like the dance pieces Alliya and I performed for our high school dance class, we took those routines way too seriously, and it cracks me up every time I rewatch them, but I’m genuinely grateful people recorded those performances. That documentation means everything now.
Same with the gala performances I helped coordinate for African Student Union at Michigan State. I laugh at how intense I was, but again, those experiences shaped my confidence. Everyone involved really brought their best. It was a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when people come together for something bigger than themselves. Going through all these old pieces showed me how much I’ve grown, not just artistically, but personally. These moments are more than memories. They're proof of where I've been and a source of motivation for everything still to come.
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Léonella in a light blue bikini bathing suit, enjoying the sun and a good read at the beach.
Book shown: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2008)
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What was the hardest part of building the site?
The hardest part wasn’t the coding or design, it was convincing myself I was actually going to share it with people. I had a great time making the website! There were so many different drafts before I landed on this final layout and tab structure. I experimented, played with different looks, walked away and came back more than once. Some months I didn’t touch it at all. Other times, I was rearranging everything nonstop.
The real challenge was the inner dialogue, telling myself, “Okay, you’ve spent all this time creating something beautiful, now let it be seen.” That was hard. It took just as much effort to get to that mindset as it did to actually build the site itself.
What helped was talking to a few trusted people. Their encouragement and advice reminded me that I don’t have to have everything figured out to put something into the world. I can always update later, but what matters is that I take the first step. So this site, in many ways, is just that. A first step. A reintroduction. A moment of saying, “Here I am.”
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Dr. Mae C. Jemison in Space by Léonella. No.2 pencil on Printer Paper (2015).
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Do you have a favorite art piece or moment featured on the site?
One of my favorite pieces on the site is probably the Dr. Mae C. Jemison drawing. I created it in three days as a high school senior for a college scholarship. I was always researching additional academic scholarships I could apply for to make college more affordable. The prompt asked applicants to create an art piece inspired by someone who shaped Black history, and as someone named after Dr. Jemison, it felt right.
At the time, I had limited resources. I wasn’t really working with acrylic paint until college, but in high school my best tools were a No. 2 pencil and some printer paper. I went home one day and just started imagining: What if I didn’t just show Dr. Jemison in the usual rocket ship? What if I placed her directly in space itself, surrounded by planets and the moon? So that’s what I did.
I really enjoyed drawing all the celestial elements, the planets, her suit, the shading of space, but my favorite part of the piece is how much time I spent on the shading. Even though I didn’t end up winning that scholarship, I walked away with something invaluable. That piece felt like a tribute to a fierce trailblazer, to my namesake, and to my younger self for believing I could bring her to life on paper with whatever I had at the time.
What made you decide to finally launch a website?
Léonella in Jean Skirt and Ivy Tank.
What made you decide to finally launch a website?
What can people expect when they explore the site?
My goal in creating this website was to be vulnerable and really put myself out there. I hope that comes through when people explore it. I think the site will answer questions about what I’ve been up to, what I’ve accomplished so far, and give a glimpse of what’s next. I want people to see me. All of me. Mbomda, Léonella, and Jemison.
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Léonella enjoying a day at the pier.
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What’s one thing you hope people take away from this?
I hope people take away that great things take time, and you don’t always have to show your hand or overshare your next moves. As I get older, I’ve realized it’s often better to focus on taking the necessary actions first and then letting your results speak for themselves. You can talk about the process later, after it’s all said and done.
Life requires patience. Sometimes you have to step away, come back, and reassess, but ultimately, you are the author of your own life story. When you look back, what stories have you shared? Are they being told through your voice, or someone else’s? When you get much older and folks visit and ask you about any stories you’d like to share, will you be happy with what you intend to share?
These are the kinds of questions I hope people ask themselves when they visit my site, and if I’ve inspired even one person to take the time to share their story in a way that feels authentic to them, then I’ve done exactly what I hoped to do.
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Léonella in khaki pants and black blouse.
What made you decide to finally launch a website?
Is this just a one-time project, or the beginning of something bigger?
I remember watching, I May Destroy You, with my older brother, Bobby aka White Gold, and being amazed with how Michaela Cole told that story. During her Emmy acceptance speech for the series, she stated, "Do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for a while, and see what comes from the silence." Her words really resonated with me, and at the time I wanted to see what could come from my silence.
Over the past few years, I've chosen silence, not out of absence, but because I was building. I was creating this site for my art and refining my vision behind the scenes. Quiet doesn't mean absent; it just means being present and embracing life in a different way.
In the past, I had a habit of acting on emotion and sharing every passing thought online, especially on my finsta. It felt cathartic at the time, but looking back, I wasn’t really processing anything; I was just broadcasting. At some point, it started to feel like I had turned myself into a reality show people casually tuned into. And honestly, I don't blame anyone for watching, because that’s the energy I was putting out, but the beauty of growth is that we aren’t bound to who we used to be. We can acknowledge our patterns, learn from them, and move forward with more clarity. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I learned I can still share pieces of my life without having to overshare.
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I also took time to reassess my relationships and realized that I had people to have fun with or shared similar interests with, but only a few I truly connected with or wanted to connect with on a deeper level. Over time, I learned that relationships come in different forms, some are light and casual acquaintances, others are deeper and more meaningful that last a lifetime, no matter how much time passes. Both matter, but I had to learn to recognize and value them for what they are, which has been important. There was a moment I’ll never forget that shaped this lesson.
Years ago, I showed up to a celebration, trying to stay present while quietly moving through something heavy. I was surrounded by people I thought knew me, yet I felt invisible. That quiet disconnection was hard to ignore, and it stayed with me. It helped me understand that being in the room doesn’t always mean you belong in it, and that realization became a turning point, the beginning of me reclaiming my sense of direction and choosing myself, fully.
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I've been choosing myself ever since. This website is my return, not to overshare, but to reflect and share what I have created on my own terms. I hope to continue to use this platform to to use my creative voice and uplift others. This is just the beginning.
- Léonella 
